Hi there folks,

I am trying to compile a list of really great budgeting ideas for a blog that I am writing, and could really use some help.

Please & Thank you.

Clough

Hi, Momma!

Budgeting ideas for running the blog or ideas for sites and ideas to list that might attract people to to you blog, please?

I'm also wondering why this is posted in "The Lounge".

Thanks!

ChihuahuaMomma

Budgeting ideas for your budget.

I didn't know where I was supposed to post it...

shazamataz

I am the budgeting queen haha

For cheap dinners we either buy in bulk or just buy generic brands.
Just bought a pack of 40 2minute noodles for $5, obviously we aren't going to have them all the time but they are very handy to have in the cupboard incase of an emergency.

Another thing we buy lots of is potatoes, they are cheap and you can cook them a million and one different ways, boiled, mashed, baked, made into chips etc etc etc...

For me gifts are always cheap as I'm an artist so I just do paintings/sketches for friends and family.
Other home-made gifts like home made soaps or potpurri are great cheap gifts when you package them all pretty.

Bills/loans should be paid fortnightly or even weekly if possible, it will save you a lot in the long run and get your loans paid off faster. We just switched paying out home loan and car loans monthly to fortnightly and it will take 5 years off the total time.

Give me a minute to think of some more haha

ChihuahuaMomma

Fortnightly? Is that the same as bi-monthly? I shall. Great ideas, thank you.

Just Looking

1. Pay yourself first. If possible, have an automatic withdrawal from your paycheck that goes into savings or a retirement plan.
2. Eat at home, make your lunch, avoid take out food and drinks. When I do go out, I drink water. I usually take leftovers for my lunch, or make a salad from my garden.
3. Buy fresh food before you buy frozen. It’s always cheaper (and healthier).
4. Book flights early, book accommodations last minute and ask for a discount.
5. Wear a sweater or use a blanket before turning the heater on.
6. Open the windows or close the curtains before you turn on the air conditioner.
7. Turn lights off in an empty room, turn off switches on unused electrical appliances
8. Combine as many trips as possible when running errands to save on gas, or walk if you can.
9. Wait before buying high tech items … their prices come down.
10. Cardinal rule - always pay off your credit card balances in full. Don't carry balances forward; avoid the costly interest charges.
11. If you can't afford it, don't buy it.

PS - I'm an accountant so I keep a detailed budget, but I doubt many people would want to spend that kind of time.

shazamataz

Great advice, I'm guilty of turning the heater on instead of putting on a jacket.

justcurious55

instead of making my grocery list and then going shopping, i've started looking through the weekly ads and coupons and then making my list. i was able to stock up on frozen veggies and a bunch of canned goods the other week. the average price of everything ended up being just over a dollar. so for about $30 i now have enough frozen veggies and canned goods to make something like 5 or 6 crockpot soups/chilis. which, since i'm just cooking for myself is about 5 weeks of meals.

and i've noticed some coupon websites are working with grocery stores. so i can load coupons right onto my store club card. so i don't have to waste time looking for them and there's no way i can forget them either. i stocked up on paper towels and other cleaning stuff the other day. between sale prices and the coupons i literally cut my bill in half. the site i use most for that is shortcuts.com but i've found a couple others too through google

summer7

HI,
I work and I'm a student so I don't have time to cook everyday and I don't want to blow my hard earned cash eating out. My friend, who is also a student gave me this great tip.
I just cook twice a month. I'll have a stew in the crock pot, a chicken in a pot with veggies on the stove, a roast in the oven, spaghetti sauce on the stove...all at the same time. Once they're done, I let them cool a bit then slice everything up and pack in square plastic containers then into the freezer they go. This has worked great for me. I've saved lots of money for doing the things I enjoy!

Just Dahlia

This is what I do but not all at the same time like Summer. I buy what is on sale, make it, freeze it.
I never go out of my way to shop (because of gas) and I always keep a list of things I have to have.
I constantly put blinders on my husband when he sees something he wants
I grow as many veggies as I can
I have started canning my own beef and chicken broth (cheap and better) and comes in handy all the time.
I made a schedule of 1/2 hour a day (2 week circle) of cleaning everything in the house. (instead of house keeper, which I hated)
I'm attempting to quit smoking, down to 1 pack every 3 days. (I love it too much to go cold turkey)
I dry heavy throw rugs in the sun for hours before putting them in the dryer.
I never turn on the A/C unless it's over 100. F
Heat only goes on if it's under 35 (outside) or crazy people are visiting
I fix everything that I am capable of fixing and if not I look it up on the internet and then fix it.
I have a lot of solar lights and solar heating and a Whole house fan for the summer
And if I can save some money, I go to Cabo and get to the bar before they open and get shots of Tequila for whatever the guy wants to put in his pocket.

I have always been of the mind that 'I won't pay more than I feel it's worth'
Once I had 4 large bushes in my front yard that had to be removed. They wanted to charge me $500.00 It took me 2 weeks, but they are gone
and never came back.

All that might have been TMI

EDIT: this is nothing new...I think I was born this way